Jane Hedengren - A Generational Talent

[Goatnapper'96]

so sad she isn't a volleyballer, wish I could cheer for her.

The first time I saw her run was at the BYU HS Meet in 2024. At the time I thought she looked more like an OH on the volleyball team instead of a distance runner. She is looking more like a distance runner now. You can cheer for her anyway....USA! USA! USA!

[falafel]

so sad she isn't a volleyballer, wish I could cheer for her.

She likes volleyball. Could you find it in your cold, dead heart to cheer for her now?

[wally]

so sad she isn't a volleyballer, wish I could cheer for her.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Is he EE or ChemE?

The latter.

[Green Monstah]

Also, currently a professor at BYU in electrical engineering.

Is he EE or ChemE?

[SteelBlue]

Went down a youtube rabbit hole this weekend watching her old races. You know how the algo works, watch one and they feed you a million. Anyway, if this woman stays healthy she may be the best we've ever seen. It was wild to watch the Big 12 championship and have the announcers say about a true freshman "everyone here knows that barring injury they are racing for second." Is there anyone in the country that can stay with her at Nationals?

I remember watching Mantz win the national championship and iirc he also led wire to wire. But second and third always showed up in the video. In Jane's Big 12 race the only shots where you could see another runner were the high drone shots.

[falafel]

For some perspective: Jane ran that 6K race in 18:28. Her pace was 3:09/1K. So she was at the 5K at 15:19. That doesn't even assume an increase in her per 1K pace if the race had been 5K instead of 6K. It is usually assumed that an elite runner will run a 5000 mtr on a regulation 400 mtr track 30-60 seconds faster than what they would run an outdoor XC 5K-with the elevation changes and slower surfaces than an all weather track. The American record in the outdoor 5000 is 14:19ish right now. One can see that it is entirely conceivable that Jane Hedengren could conceivably break the US record in the outdoor 5000 this track season-as a collegiate true freshman. Jane could be an Olympic Champion someday. Diljeet might not yet be a baptized Christian but she has got to have some insight on the pressure Joseph faced.

Last year Jane ran an outdoor 5000 at a track meet in CA. In the race was Lexi Halladay and New Mexico's best distance runner-a Kenyan. Jane fell off the pace of Lexi and the Kenyan-who I think ran about a 15:06 or some low 15. That is how much Diljeet's training has improved her since last April.

Glad to get your expert analysis on this.

My daughter is a sophomore XC runner, but this is her first year with a decent coach. She has been following Jane and BYU XC religiously. She has been blown away (as we all are) by Jane's first two races and times. It is super fun to have such a great athletic program at BYU. Whatever sport you like, BYU is probably competitive or maybe even dominant.

[Goatnapper'96]

I was going to put this in the X-Country thread, but this woman deserves a dedicated thread.

She set a course record in her first race. This morning in her second race she obliterated the B12 conference record by 30 seconds. She is unreal.

Embedded Tweet

For some perspective: Jane ran that 6K race in 18:28. Her pace was 3:09/1K. So she was at the 5K at 15:19. That doesn't even assume an increase in her per 1K pace if the race had been 5K instead of 6K. It is usually assumed that an elite runner will run a 5000 mtr on a regulation 400 mtr track 30-60 seconds faster than what they would run an outdoor XC 5K-with the elevation changes and slower surfaces than an all weather track. The American record in the outdoor 5000 is 14:19ish right now. One can see that it is entirely conceivable that Jane Hedengren could conceivably break the US record in the outdoor 5000 this track season-as a collegiate true freshman. Jane could be an Olympic Champion someday. Diljeet might not yet be a baptized Christian but she has got to have some insight on the pressure Joseph faced.

Last year Jane ran an outdoor 5000 at a track meet in CA. In the race was Lexi Halladay and New Mexico's best distance runner-a Kenyan. Jane fell off the pace of Lexi and the Kenyan-who I think ran about a 15:06 or some low 15. That is how much Diljeet's training has improved her since last April.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Jane, AJ, and Bear. What a year for BYU freshmen.

[Moliere]

She’s incredible and I hope she stays healthy.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Wow. Unreal. I just read that her father was an All-American runner at BYU.

Also, currently a professor at BYU in electrical engineering.

[BigPiney]

if she stays healthy, she will be representing the US in the LA Olympics in 3 years.

[SteelBlue]

Wow. Unreal. I just read that her father was an All-American runner at BYU.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Truly amazing. And she beat the second place finisher by 45 seconds, Subsequent finishers had at most a second or two of separation.

[Pelado]

Damn.